Courses for Parents and Carers

Do you want to find out more about how to enhance your child's development and learning? If so, we have a range of courses covering every age and stage of your child's early life.

Being a parent doesn't mean that you have to stop building your confidence and skills and this year we have extended the range of courses focusing on your needs. Our courses are always welcoming, fun and interactive, and run at times to suit you and your family.

To make it even easier, free creche places are usually available.

If you would like to find out more about what's running this year, pick up one of our Workshops and Courses leaflets or call Becky at West Street on 01306 882397 or Sarah at Goodwyns Road on 01306 740095.

Anxiety Workshop

What is anxiety?

How do we get anxious?

Techniques to manage anxiety

This 3 week workshops held at Goodwyns Road & West Street sites are for all parents, grandparents and carers who suffer from feelings of anxiety. The sessions are relaxed and friendly and focus on ways of maintaining and improving emotional health. One session will also look at children and anxiety and there will be practical ideas to try out each week.

Crèche available.

Please speak to Becky at the Children’s Centre if you are interested in this workshop.

Baby First Aid

These 2 hour workshops focus on First Aid for all the family including babies and young children and are delivered by “Daisy First Aid”.

The workshop covers issues such as: Adult, child and baby CPR and recovery positions, head injury, fevers and seizures, choking and fractures.

It is ideal for pregnant mothers and new parents as well as those with older children.

Please call if you are interested in this course.

Cost £15

Baby Massage

Baby Massage classes usually run twice a term for 4 weeks and are for babies under 6 months old.

It is a fun way to:

Bond and spend time with your baby

Make new friends.

Learn some simple baby massage strokes

The day of the course may vary for each course so ring the centre to find out when the next one is planned for. The groups are very popular so we give priority to families referred to us by health partners and those living in RH4 and RH5 postcodes. If you live outside our reach area, we are happy to let you know where your local Children's Centre is and help you to find the services you need.

If you would like to add your name to the waiting list for Baby Massage, please ring us on 01306 740095.

Balancing Family Life

A 4 week parenting course at our Goodwyns Road Site.

This is a fun and friendly group where you can learn and share ideas about how to develop your parenting skills for under 5’s.

Crèche places available, must be booked in advanced.Please call Becky at the Children’s Centre on 01306 740095 to book your place.

Be Me

Self esteem course focusing on truth, identity and purpose.

Start Date: 27th February, 201912:45pm to 2:45pm

March - 27thApril - 3rd

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 - 12:45pm to 2:45pm

Goodwyns Road Site

Bendy Bananas

Movement, Stretch and Relaxation Sessions for Children aged 4 to 11 years (based on the Yoga Bananas Technique)

At Goodwyns road site, to find out more and to book a place contact Jackie or Becky on 0306 740095.

Cook & Eat

These 4 week workshop give you and your child experience of preparing simple and nutritious meals. Sessions start with a fun time together preparing a meal or snack and then there will be a time away from the children to talk about portion sizes, healthy life styles and share ideas to try at home.

EAL

English for EAL families

FREE 5 week Course for parents & carers or children under 11 years who speak English as an additional language, run by Family Learning at our West Street site. There will be a crèche for children under 5 years. Booking is essential as crèche places will be limited - please call Becky on 01306 882397.

- Find out about Education in England

- How to be more confident in helping your child with schoolwork

- Improve your own English skills and meet new people

ESOL

We run Basic English classes for speakers of other languages parents of children under 11 at our West Street site on Wednesdays from 9.30 - 10.30am.

Do you want to improve your spoken English? Join us for an informal lesson for adults while your children (under 5s) play. Those who are at beginners level or pre-imtermediate are welcome. Please book through the office.

Children under 5 are very welcome to come along with you. Booking required, please speak to Becky on 01306 740095 for the next dates. Cost, £20 for 10 weeks

Start Date: 16th January, 20199:30am to 10:30am

March - 27th

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - 9:30am to 10:30am

West Street Site

First Aid Course

This course is run by Surrey Care Trust and aims to give participants the confidence to act appropriately in difficult situations and will include assistance to babies, children and adults.

The course includes:

Basic life saving skills for Adults

Emergency first aid procedures

Dealing with unconscious casualities

Minor injuries

Childhood illnesses

We run courses during the day time and in the evening. To add your name to the waiting list, please ring us at the centre.

Once you have been offered a place on one of the first aid courses we will ask for a £5 booking fee to secure your place. This helps us to cover the administartive costs of running the course and to cover refreshments. If we do not receive the £5 booking fee before the start of the course, your place will be given to another family as this is a very popular course and there is always a waiting list for places. Tuition is provided free of charge by Surrey Care Trust.

Start Date: 25th February, 20199:30am to 11:30am

March - 25th

Monday, February 25, 2019 - 9:30am to 11:30am

West Street Site

Forest School

Come along and explore the Forest School at the local Glory Woods. Give your child the opportunity to play outside in their natural environment. 4 week course.

Suitable for children aged from 18 months old.Cost for the course- £6For more information or to book a place call 01306 740095.

Start Date: 8th March, 201910:00am to 12:00pm

March - 29thApril - 5th

Friday, March 8, 2019 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Goodwyns Road Site

Helping your Child manage Stress and Anxiety

Many children face fears and worries. For some children these fears and worries affect their daily lives. This 5-week course at Goodwyns Road will cover some strategies to help you provide your child with tools to manage their anxieties and aims to support parents and carers of children with stress and anxiety.

Crèche available, booking essential. Please speak to Becky at the Children’s Centre to book your place or call 01306 740095. Cost £30 or free if on benefits.

Post Natal First Aid

This 2 hour workshop will focus on First Aid for all the family including babies and young children and will be delivered by Stacey from Daisy First Aid.

The workshop will cover issues such as: adult, child and baby CPR and recovery positions, head injury, fevers and seizures, choking and fractures. It is ideal for pregnant mothers and new parents as well as those with older children.

Cost £15

To find out more and to be put on the waiting list contact: Jackie or Sarah on 01306 740095

Swimming

We have swimming sessions available in the heated indoor learner pool next door to our Goodwyns Road site at St Johns C of E Primary School.

The sessions are private classes for Children’s Centre families only and the water is very warm.

The teacher is a qualified swimming teacher and she will be on hand to help and guide you.

Book a 6 week block for £18 (for one adult and one child under the age of 3 years).

Call us on 01306 740095 for further information.

Tadpoles

Tadpoles is a small group for 2 year olds and their parents exploring their learning and development, with a focus on speech and language, emotions and socialising. It is ideal for those who have been home-visited or any who have just turned 2 years old.

If you are interested in attending the next group for 2 year olds, please ring the centre and we will add your name to the waiting list.

Understanding Children's Behaviour

Feeling like you need some help to know what makes your child behave the way they do? This 5 week course for mothers/fathers/carers of young children will help you identify factors that may affect your child’s behaviour and gives you LOTS of ideas that can help.

Come along and find out

how to encourage positive behaviour

how to deal with difficult behaviour

Courses runs for 5 weeks, 9.45 - 11.45am (creche available). Attendance is important so please only book if you can come along to all 5 sessions.

The course is free, however, we ask for a donation of £2 each week to cover refreshments and admin costs.

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Nursery School

We provide high quality nursery education and care for 2 - 5 year olds.

Dorking Nursery School was founded in 1939 and has long been at the heart of family life in Dorking. It has always excelled in Early Years education, with consistently good Ofsted reports. Since September 2008 we have provided nursery provision for children from 2 years old. We are especially proud of our most recent Ofsted reports, which rated both the 2-3s and the 3-5s nurseries as outstanding.

Children's Centre

We host a range of services for families in the Dorking area at our Children's Centre sites in West Street and Goodwyns Road.